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CAAWS In the Loop Newsletter – February 2009

release by CAAWS

February 28, 2009 – Here is the latest from the Canadian Association for Advancement of Women in Sport (CAAWS), including the extension of the nomination deadline for the CAAWS Marion Lay “Herstorical” Award, the announcement of 2009 WISE Fund recipients, CAAWS Workshops, celebration of our Women Olympians, grants and opportunities, resources, and the celebration noticeboard.

1. Nomination Deadline extended for the CAAWS Marion Lay “Herstorical” Award.

CAAWS is soliciting nominations for the Marion Lay “Herstorical” Award. This award is presented to an individual, group or organization whose distinct contribution has had a long-term (10 years or more) impact and significant influence on breaking down the barriers to equal participation for girls and women in sport and physical activity. Details here

Revised nomination deadline: March 6, 2009 4:00 pm (EST).

2. CAAWS announces 2009 WISE Fund recipients

Twelve individuals/organizations are this year’s recipients of CAAWS’ WISE Fund grants of $900. The WISE (Women in Sport Encouragement) Fund was developed in response to the ongoing financial need within the sport community. The Fund is made available on an annual basis to assist active girls and women and/or organizations offering sport programs targeted to girls and women. The 2009 Fund is the sixth time CAAWS has offered the grant program. Since the program’s inception in 2004, CAAWS has supported 68 individuals and organizations through this fund, dispersing over $59,000 to members of the sport community. Look for details on the next opportunity to apply for the Fund posted on CAAWS’ website in the fall of 2009.

2009 WISE Fund Recipients

– Lisa-Marie Vowk, Optimum Health & Fitness — Whitehorse, Yukon
supported by Canadian Soccer Association
– Alberta Freestyle Skiing Association — Calgary, Alberta
supported by Canadian Freestyle Skiing Association
– Calgary Polo Splash — Calgary, Alberta
supported by Water Polo Canada
– June Zimmer — Regina, Saskatchewan
supported by Canadian Soccer Association
– Regina Wheelchair Rugby Club — Regina, Saskatchewan
supported by Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association
– Jill Twordik — Brandon, Manitoba
supported by Softball Canada
– Kim Thompson — Orleans, Ontario
supported by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
– Amanda Fader — Russell, Ontario
supported by Athletics Canada
– Performance Synchro — Laval, Quebec
supported by Synchro Canada
– Celine Guillemart — Mont Joli, Quebec
supported by Canadian Fencing Federation
– Moncton Kiwanis Minor Basketball Association — Moncton, New Brunswick
supported by Canada Basketball
– Bible Hill Junior High School — Bible Hill, Nova Scotia
supported by Canadian Cycling Association

Read more about the successful grant recipients here.

3. CAAWS Workshops

a) Working with Gay and Lesbian Athletes and Coaches — Leading the Way

This interactive workshop, presented by CAAWS, provides coaches and other sport leaders with the opportunity to increase their understanding of homophobia, and the negative impact it can have on athletes, coaches, and your organization, regardless of their sexual orientation. From learning LGBTQ language to dealing with sensitive issues such as same-sex relationships amongst teammates, the session allows for an open and honest conversation about homophobia and the important role coaches and other sport leaders can play in making sport more accepting of sexual diversity.

– Friday, March 6, 2009
– Courtside B Room, RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario
– CAAWS will offer the workshop in English from 9:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.; and in French from 1:00-4:30 p.m.
– Contact Jessica Lowe at CAAWS at jlowe@caaws.ca.

To book your own Working with Gay and Lesbian Athletes and Coaches — Leading the Way workshop, contact Karin Lofstrom at CAAWS at 613-562-5667 or klofstrom@caaws.ca.

b) Unequal Opportunities, Unequal Outcomes: Physical Activity Beliefs and Behaviours in Low Socioeconomic Status Mothers in Canada

These workshops are focused on physical activity challenges and opportunities for low socioeconomic status mothers (LSES). The findings and resources from recent cross-Canada focus groups will be presented and discussed at the workshops. The useful information and concrete tools presented will assist in the development of physical activity initiatives and strategies for LSES.

English Workshops
– March 5, 2009 — PARC Physical Activity Symposium 2008
– Courtyard Marriott, Downtown Toronto.

– March 17, 2009 — International conference on women’s health, hosted by the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, Westin Nova Scotian, Halifax.

Register here

French Workshop
– March 3, 2009
РR̩seau des Centres ontariens de ressources pour la promotion de la sant̩ (CORPS) / Ontario Health Promotion Resource System (OHRSC) Francophone Tour. Toronto.
РContact H̩l̬ne McCuaig, 613.727.1447, helenem@magma.ca

c) Women 55-70: Physical Activity and Sport Challenges and Opportunities Regional Workshops

CAAWS is co-hosting a series of Regional workshops focused on physical activity and sport challenges and opportunities for women 55-70. The workshops present and discuss the findings, tools and resources produced as part of a three-year national project (2005-2008) focused on increasing physical activity and sport opportunities for women 55-70. The useful information and concrete tools presented will assist in the development of physical activity and sport initiatives, policies and strategies for women 55-70.

The workshops are taking place from 10am — 4:00pm in these cities:

– March 2, 2009 – Halifax
– March 4, 2009 – St. John’s
– March 9, 2009 – Prince George
– March 11, 2009 – Kelowna
– March 13, 2009 – Victoria
– March 16, 2009 – Winnipeg
– March 27, 2009 – Edmonton

Cost: Free
Lunch is provided.
To participate please contact Shelley Callaghan at purpledog@sympatico.ca

d) On the Move Workshops

On the Move workshops are interactive, issue-based sessions that provide an overview of the initiative, share best practices from across Canada, and provide “how-to” tips to increase the participation of girls and young women.

– March 2, 2009
Kanesatake, Québec
1:00-4:00 p.m.

– March 24, 2009
Brampton, Ontario
12:00-4:00 p.m.

This workshop in Brampton will focus specifically on engaging newcomer girls and young women.

For more information please contact: Sydney Millar, National Program Manager snmillar@caaws.ca

e) Building On Our Strengths: Aboriginal Women and Leadership

To continue our work with Aboriginal communities, CAAWS has worked with a group of female Aboriginal sport leaders to develop a new workshop module for Aboriginal women. It is being piloted in Team Spirit communities over the next six weeks. In partnership with the Aboriginal Sport Circle, the Aboriginal Coaching Manual Workshop will also be delivered. The workshops will be delivered in: Eel Ground, New Brunswick; Calgary. Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Saskatoon. Saskatchewan; and Wiarton, Ontario.

For more information about this great professional development opportunity, please contact: Sydney Millar, National Program Manager snmillar@caaws.ca

4. Celebrate our Women Olympians – Women Dominate the Top 10 moments in Olympic competition

The Royal Canadian Mint and Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium are inviting Canadians to celebrate the rich and storied history of the Olympic Winter Games by voting on the Top 10 Canadian Olympic Winter Moments of all time. Seven of the Top 10 Canadian Olympic Winter Moments finalists, as selected by an independent voting panel, feature accomplishments by women athletes:

– Nancy Greene — gold medal and silver medal, alpine skiing, Grenoble 1968
– Catriona Le May Doan — gold medal, speed skating, Salt Lake City 2002
– Women’s Hockey Team — gold medal, Salt Lake City 2002
– Jamie Salé and David Pelletier — gold medal, figure skating pairs, Salt Lake City 2002
– Beckie Scott — gold medal, cross-country skiing, Salt Lake City 2002
– Cindy Klassen — one gold medal, two silver medals and two bronze medals, speed skating, Turin 2006
– Clara Hughes — gold medal, speed skating, Turin 2006

The Top 3 moments will be featured on 25-cent coins, each with a mintage of 22 million, and will enter into circulation in the fall of 2009, leading up to Vancouver 2010.

– Deadline to vote: March 25
– Vote at: www.CTVOlympics.ca and www.RDSolympiques.ca

The results of the Top 10 Canadian Olympic Winter Moments will be revealed in a one-hour prime-time broadcast special, in English and French, in September 2009 on CTV, TSN and RDS.

5. Grants and Opportunities

a) Mothers in Motion seeks Community Collaborators

CAAWS is proud to introduce a new section of the Mothers in Motion’s website dedicated to Physical Activity Promoters who are assisting mothers of low socioeconomic status. Learn more about the barriers to this group, and find great tools and resources to assist you in structuring better programs to address accessibility, availability and affordability. In addition, CAAWS is seeking opportunities to collaborate with ten communities across Canada interested in developing and delivering a physical activity program and/or sport initiative for mothers of low socioeconomic status (LSES).

Communities selected to participate in this third phase of the Mothers in Motion project will serve as pilots to evaluate key research findings and recommendations. CAAWS will compile community success stories to share with other communities across the country. Each program must be a minimum of 8 weeks with the ultimate goal of promoting the importance of healthy, active living. Programs must begin before June 1, 2009. Each community will receive $2,000 in program support which can be used for equipment, resources, promotion of programs and/or events, childcare services, or transportation costs for LSES mothers.

Application forms and more details can be found here.

Submission Deadline: March 16, 2009

b) ParticipACTION partners with GreenGym to promote healthy, active communities

ParticipACTION is encouraging municipalities, schools, community organizations and businesses to install easy-to-use, weather resistant outdoor fitness and gym equipment in parks, school yards, office grounds and public spaces to help their communities get active and stay healthy. Through its partnership with GreenGym, ParticipACTION will provide a grant equivalent to 10 percent of the purchase price back to the communities that install GreenGym fun, open access, outdoor gym equipment.
Download the application forms here.

6. Resources

Immodest and Sensational: 150 years of Canadian women in sport, a new book by Dr. M. Ann Hall, Professor Emeritus, University of Alberta.

Canadian women have been playing and competing since the latter part of the nineteenth century, eager to participate and partake of the benefits that sports and physical exertion bring. From the beginning, social obstacles have made the playing field uneven for women. The resistance has used everything from arguments about unladylike dress and deportment and the dangers of exercise for Canada’s future mothers, to barriers to sports facilities and overt harassment. Yet schoolgirls, society women and working-class women have relished sport and fought for their right to play and compete, with grit and dignity. Often their efforts have been honoured by city and provincial sports halls of fame, but their achievements are still little known. This book, illustrated throughout, tells the story of pioneering women athletes, and of the early sports media “” some of Canada’s first women sportswriters “”who championed them every step of the way.

The book can be ordered through its distributor Formac Lorimer Books or by telephone: 1-800-565-1975

7. Celebration Noticeboard

Individuals

Ringette Canada will induct three women into its Hall of Fame on June 13th. Joanne Dearden (Ottawa, ON) in the builder category, Judy Diduck (Sherwood Park, AB) and Maria Thompson (Edmonton, AB) in the athlete category. Judy Sutcliffe, (Toronto, ON) was named the Chair of ROWONTARIO’s Umpires Committee, overseeing umpiring in rowing in Ontario. She is the first woman to hold this post. Former player and head coach of her native Italy’s national and youth teams, Carolina Morace was named the new women’s national program head coach by the Canadian Soccer Association. Kelly Murumets (Toronto, ON), President and CEO of Participaction has been named one of More Magazine’s Top 40 over 40 for 2009, recognized as one of the most compelling women over 40 in the Amazing Advocates category.

Organizations

Boxing Ontario is supporting the AIBA proposal to include women’s boxing in the Olympic Games. Boxing Ontario had 8 female boxers on the 2008 National Team including two-time World Champion Mary Spencer. The World Championships is the current highest level of competition for women in amateur boxing.

Égale Action’s MentorActive program, targeting young women 15 to 17 years of age, is a finalist for the second edition of the Ministry of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women Égalité award, which recognizes projects promoting equality between men and women in Québec. Winners will be announced next March 3rd at the Château Laurier in Québec City. Also a finalist in the same category was the series of cocktail-conferences entitled Empreintes d’Elles, organized by the Québec City YWCA, with the participation of Égale Action, along with the sports conference organization. The Égalité award represents one of the government’s December 2006 policy commitments to equality between the sexes, in order that equality in law may become equality in fact.

ProMOTION Plus hosted 99 women leaders in the Richmond, BC for Women in Sport Leadership, Sharing our Passion, January 22-24, 2009, a unique and unprecedented assembly of women in sport administration and sport management. The event, designed to support BC women working in the sport sector, to engage participants, provide opportunities to share strategies and ideas, and foster a supportive network for women leaders, resulting in a stronger BC sport system was deemed a tremendous success.

In the Loop celebrates women’s accomplishments in the sport and physical activity communities. Send career notices, changes, awards and recognitions to In the Loop c/o bmacdonald@caaws.ca to be included in the next issue.

Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity
N202 – 801 King Edward Avenue,
Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1N 6N5
(613) 562-5667
caaws@caaws.ca
www.caaws.ca





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